Intel Core i3-4120U vs Intel Pentium 3556U

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i3-4120U and Intel Pentium 3556U processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Graphics, Graphics interfaces, Graphics image quality, Graphics API support, Compatibility, Peripherals, Security & Reliability, Advanced Technologies, Virtualization. Benchmark processor performance analysis: PassMark - Single thread mark, PassMark - CPU mark, Geekbench 4 - Single Core, Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core, CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s), GFXBench 4.0 - Car Chase Offscreen (Frames), GFXBench 4.0 - Manhattan (Frames), GFXBench 4.0 - T-Rex (Frames), GFXBench 4.0 - Car Chase Offscreen (Fps), GFXBench 4.0 - Manhattan (Fps), GFXBench 4.0 - T-Rex (Fps).

Intel Core i3-4120U

Intel Pentium 3556U

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i3-4120U

CPU is newer: launch date 6 month(s) later
2 more threads: 4 vs 2
Around 18% higher clock speed: 2 GHz vs 1.7 GHz
Around 50% more L3 cache; more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later
Around 24% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1177 vs 952
Around 84% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 1948 vs 1061

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	14 April 2014 vs 1 October 2013
Number of threads	4 vs 2
Maximum frequency	2 GHz vs 1.7 GHz
L3 cache	3 MB vs 2 MB
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1177 vs 952
PassMark - CPU mark	1948 vs 1061

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Core i3-4120U
CPU 2: Intel Pentium 3556U

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1177

952

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1948

1061

Name	Intel Core i3-4120U	Intel Pentium 3556U
PassMark - Single thread mark	1177	952
PassMark - CPU mark	1948	1061
Geekbench 4 - Single Core		353
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core		638
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)		6.821
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)		100.048
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)		0.58
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)		5.773
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)		4.538
GFXBench 4.0 - Car Chase Offscreen (Frames)		552
GFXBench 4.0 - Manhattan (Frames)		1857
GFXBench 4.0 - T-Rex (Frames)		3273
GFXBench 4.0 - Car Chase Offscreen (Fps)		552
GFXBench 4.0 - Manhattan (Fps)		1857
GFXBench 4.0 - T-Rex (Fps)		3273

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Core i3-4120U	Intel Pentium 3556U
Essentials
Architecture codename	Haswell	Haswell
Launch date	14 April 2014	1 October 2013
Launch price (MSRP)	$281
Place in performance rating	2077	2078
Processor Number	i3-4120U	3556U
Series	4th Generation Intel® Core™ i3 Processors	Intel® Pentium® Processor 3000 Series
Status	Launched	Launched
Vertical segment	Mobile	Mobile
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	2.00 GHz	1.70 GHz
Bus Speed	5 GT/s DMI2	5 GT/s DMI2
L1 cache	128 KB	128 KB
L2 cache	512 KB	512 KB
L3 cache	3 MB	2 MB
Manufacturing process technology	22 nm	22 nm
Maximum core temperature	100°C	100°C
Maximum frequency	2 GHz	1.7 GHz
Number of cores	2	2
Number of threads	4	2
Die size		118 mm
Maximum case temperature (TCase)		105 °C
Transistor count		1400 million
Memory
Max memory channels	2	2
Maximum memory bandwidth	25.6 GB/s	25.6 GB/s
Maximum memory size	16 GB	16 GB
Supported memory types	DDR3L 1333/1600, LPDDR3 1333/1600	DDR3L 1333/1600, LPDDR3 1333/1600
Graphics
Device ID	0xA16
Graphics base frequency	200 MHz	200 MHz
Graphics max dynamic frequency	1.00 GHz	1.00 GHz
Graphics max frequency	1 GHz	1 GHz
Intel® Clear Video HD technology
Intel® Flexible Display Interface (Intel® FDI)
Intel® InTru™ 3D technology
Intel® Quick Sync Video
Max video memory	2 GB
Processor graphics	Intel® HD Graphics 4400	Intel HD Graphics
Intel® Clear Video technology
Graphics interfaces
DisplayPort
eDP
HDMI
Number of displays supported	3	3
Wireless Display (WiDi) support
Graphics image quality
Max resolution over DisplayPort	3200x2000@60Hz
Max resolution over HDMI 1.4	3200x2000@60Hz
Max resolution over VGA	N / A
Graphics API support
DirectX	11.2/12
OpenGL	4.3
Compatibility
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1	1
Package Size	40mm x 24mm x 1.5mm	40mm x 24mm x 1.5mm
Sockets supported	FCBGA1168	Intel BGA1168
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	15 Watt	15 Watt
Peripherals
Integrated IDE
Integrated LAN
Max number of PCIe lanes	12	10
Max number of SATA 6 Gb/s Ports	4	2
Number of USB ports	4	4
PCI Express revision	2.0	2.0
PCI support
PCIe configurations	4x1, 2x4	4x1, 1x4, 1x2
Total number of SATA ports	4	2
UART
USB revision	3.0	3.0
Security & Reliability
Anti-Theft technology
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Identity Protection technology
Intel® Secure Key technology
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Intel® OS Guard
Advanced Technologies
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Flexible Display interface (FDI)
General-Purpose Input/Output (GPIO)
HD Audio
Idle States
Instruction set extensions	Intel® SSE4.1, Intel® SSE4.2, Intel® AVX2	Intel® SSE4.1, Intel® SSE4.2
Intel 64
Intel® Active Management technology (AMT)
Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX)
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® ME Firmware Version	9.5	9.5
Intel® Rapid Storage technology (RST)
Intel® TSX-NI
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
Matrix Storage
Smart Connect
Thermal Monitoring
Intel® Smart Response technology
Intel® Stable Image Platform Program (SIPP)
Virtualization
AMD Virtualization (AMD-V™)
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)